Swivel.



GQ B. WILGOX & w. GKNAPP. SWIVEL.

PPLIOA'IION FILED FEB. 25,1913.

` 1;114,835. Patented 0ot.27, 19141l WIT! IESS@ y i NVENTORS,

/dfx 2T www 'y/MMM THEIR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. WILCOX, OF BAKERSFIELI), AND VJILLIAM G. KNAPP, OF ALHAMBRA,

CALIFORNIA, .ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T OIL WELL SUPPLY COMPANY, 0F PITTS- BURGH. PENNSYLVANIA.

SWIVEL.

To all Awhom it may concern Be it known that we, Cuanta-:s E. WiLcox and VILLIAM G. Kivarr, citizens ot' the United States, residing, respectively. at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and citate of California, and at Alhambra, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have jointly invented new and use- 'ful Improvements in Swivels, of which the following,- is a specification. i

This invention relates to swivels, and niore particularly to hydraulic swivels included within the hydraulic circulatory systems employed in the drilling of oil and other deep wells. As is well known in this art, it is customary to keep up circulation of liquid through the boring or drilling string to and froin the (li-ill tool for the purpose o't' assisting in the drilling operation and reinoving the cuttings or drillings from the. hole as it is produced. The swivel in such cir-l culatory systems is used in the operation ot rotary drills, to the end that water inaybe supplied to and passed through the rotating drilling string.

Apparatus o'l this type as heretofore constructed and used has been open to a ninnber of objections. the eliniination ot' which constitutes an object of the present invention as will fully hereinafter appear.

The invention has t'or lurther object the provision of iinproved hydraulic swivels tor well drilling apparatus which will be superior in point ot relative siinplicitv and inexpensiveness ol construction and organe zation in connection with satcty and convenience in use` inisitiveneas in operation. length oi lil'e. and tieedoni troni wear ol` parts. and the tit and adjustment and workincr inter-relation of the parts of which will be etl'ectively maintained through long; peri ods of service.

'itli the above and other object.`l in view` the invention consists in the novel aiul uset'ul provision. loi'inalioin eonstructien. conibiiiatioii, association and relative arrane'enient ol: parts. incinl.\er:': and features. all :is hereinafter described. shown iii the drawing. and linallv pointed out in claiins.

ln the drawing: ltig'ure 1 is a cen't ral vertical sectioi-.al view` partly ini'nll linea. ol' a hydraulic swivel lor well drilling' apparatus. the saine being constructed and organized in accordance with the invention: Fig. 2 is a detail transverse sectional view of the saine Specification of Letters 'aterm Application led February 25, 1913.

Patented Oct. 27. 1914.

Serial No. 750.590.

taken upon the lines :r2-a+', F ig. l', and looknig' in the direction of the appended arrows; and` Fig. 3 is a similar view taken upon the lines .fr-"Mr". Fig. 1f` and looking in the di-Y rection ot' the appended arrows. A Y l Corresponding parts in nll the figures are designated by the saine reference characters.

Referring' with particularity to the drawiiigrak designates the swivel stein and B the carrier or carrying ineans therefor of an iinproved swivel Afor hydraulic systems for." rotarvr drillingr apparatus, the saine being organized in accori'lance with the invention. The swivel stern comprises a tubular bodv vl at the lower end of which is provided a conplingr 5 whereby the swivel stem is joined with the boring or drillingif string, the saine not being' shown in the drawing as not entering into the invention in its construction or a ny other aspects. The swivel stem is rotatively .supported by the carrier B through the agency of a bearing device C interposed between the two- The carrier B is provided with a two-part body. preferably tubular, and surrounding,` the swivel stein one part of such body, l), bei-.gq above the bearing' device C and the other part. c, being beneath such bearing device. Through the agency of the bearing device (i the .swivel stein is tree to rotate, with the boring' or drilling' stringi. inthe two part tubular body of the carrier. At the upper end ot the carrier is provided suspension nieans D. preferably consisting of a single bail Il. the ends of which are engaged at opposite points of the tubular portion b, with trunnion (3. whereby the swivel may swing pendant `lroni the bail, the bail beingr ia use engaged with and suspended by the bool: and rope or cable in the rig. Packing devices .r/ and f are .respectively disposed between the swivel `slein and the"` tubular bcdy partsl 71 and c.' and thelbearing device is installed within a suitable housing E between the body portions aii'd c. within 100 which housinej an oil bath is provided for such bearing' device. 'lhis housin r is produced by enlarging the lower end of the bodv portion inlo an annular hood 7. and

enlargingr the upper portion o't the body 105 portion c into a cup S. which cup and the hood which niatches the .saine are threaded tagt-thai, as at i). At one side ot the housy iopr E. at the tcp ot the oil bath chamber e is provided a plugged opening 10, and at introduced in to the chamber the other side of the housing and at the bottom of the chamber e is provided a piugged opening 11. Oil or other lubricant may be c through the plugged opening 10, and withdrawn therefrom through the plugged opening 11, upon the removal or" such plugs, and a blast or steam jet may be applied to the contents and interior of the chamber c to cause the cleaning and evacuation thereof.

The bearing device C may comprise van upper annular bearing member 12 threaded onto the stem body 4 and opposed to an annular lower bearing member 13 resting upon the cup 8, both bearing members being within the housing E, and co-acting with interposed anti-friction devices 14. Above the bearing device C the body 4 is preferably of reduced over-all diameter although the internal diameter preferably maintainedI uniform; and the packing g is interposed be t-ween the body portion b of the carrier and this reduced portion of the stem body 4, in a suitable annular space which extends to the top of the body portion b and terminates above the chamber e. The packing g coinprises Atwo parts, an upper part 15 and lower part 16, separated by an expansion or cornpression coil Spring 17 acting to force the packing part'lG downward and the packing part 15 upward, the latter against a tubular 'gland 18 which fits at its lower end down 'between the body part b and the upper end of the stem body 4; said gland being provided -with opposed elongated openings 19 above the upper end of the stem body 4, and respectively registering with threaded openings 20 in the body portion o, to which openings may be applied a plug 21 and a. water supply pipe 2:2, or other adjuncts or fittings in accordance with the service to which the apparatus is to be subjected. The upper end ot' the gland 1S is provided with an annular capvplate 23 within the bail Z above the body portion Z1 of the carrier and also above an auxiliary annular gland Q4 surrounding the gland 18 and litting against a packing ring 25 set in an annular space between the upper end portion of the body portion Z) and the outer wall of the gland 18. Threaded rods 2G pass through the cap plate 23 and a cap plate 24 upon the gland 24, and are screwed into the upper end ot the body portion of the carrier. Lock nuts 27 land 28, respectively. above the cap plates 23 and 24a enable the gland lfv to be adjusted upon the packingrg and the meml'iers and parts thereof, against the spring 17, and enables the auxiliary gland 24 to be adjusted upon the packing- 25.

lfroin the region of the spring 17 of the packing y, extend laterally and downwardly inclined d ucts Q9, said ducts being 'formed in the carrier body portion Z) at di'erent heights.

Should any water pass the packing g trom the ports 19 and 2() above the swivel stem body 4, or get beneath the packing member 15 of such packing, it would enter the ducts 29 and 'drip from the same onto the hood 7 at the lower end oi' the body portion b' of the carrier, indicating the necessity ot further adjusting the gland 18 in the manner above described.

l/Vithin an annular space formed between the lower body portion 0 and the stem body 4, beneath the bearing device member 13, are disposed a metallic, preferably bronze, bushing 30, a packingmember 31 beneath the same, and a gland 32 beneath the packing' member 31, all constituting the packing The .gland is screwed into the lower end of the body portion c, as at 33, and it may be adjusted to tighten up the packing member 31, and prevent any leakage of lubricant from the bath within the chamber e for Athe bearing device C.

The trunnions 6 suspend the carrier B from the bail el at points above the center of gravityof such carrier and of the swivel stem, whereby the entire swivel device is stably pivotally suspended, obviating any danger of inversion of the device when disconnected from the boring or drilling string.

This danger iS present in. the use of the'ordin nary swivel device, and is frequently injurious toperson and property.

It will be noted that all ot the packings, such as at 25, g and f are adjustable from the exterior 'of .the swivel, the first 'and the icc second of the same by means of the glands i 24 and 18, and the third byx means of the gland 32, this resulting in great convenience tothe operator. The packingv 25 keeps a tight joint between the upper end of the body portion b and the gland 18. The packing g keeps a tight joint between the upper end of the stem, beneath the ports 19 and 20, and the chamber e for 'the oilbath for the bearing device`C,etlectually withholding any water drip or seepage from the bath. The packing f prevents any leakage of the bath beneath the bearing device. rl`he tell-tale ducts 2S) will accurately indicate the passage of any water past the packing member 15 of the packing g, and when water is observed leaking from such ducts the gland 18 is adjusted t'o tighten up the packing g. AThus, any improper action of the packing g, internally located, will be externally indicated .so that correction of the faulty working condition of the packing may be made. lf such condition is not corrected, water and the like, or water with the usual content of line sand, will find its way into the chamber c and the lubricant therein and cut the parts of the bearing device C.

l .3y means oi the upper and .lower plugged openings 10 and 11 leading to and from the y chamber c, the lubricant may be readily` introduced to said chamber for the bath, and said chamber may -be e'ectually drained and also cleaned by subjection to a blast or steam bath.

By providing two inlets to the swivel, each including one of the ports 19 and one of the ports 20, a variety of uses oi the swivel are permitted, in accordance with the different kinds of service. Water can be introduced through either or both inlets; or, should a producing stratum or producing sand be encountered in drilling while the swivel is connected up for use, the flowing oil may be permitted to pass out through `one inlet as the water is cut off, and a pipe fitted to the other inlet to lead the 0il.to a tank, after which fitting job the oil-accommodating inlet may be closed by a gate-valve or the like. This is but one instance of the adaptability of the swivel. Ordinarily, swivels are provided with what is known as a goose-neck leading to the upper end of the swivel, and to which in turn leads the water pipe, a wash pipe leading down from the goose- `neck into the stem. Our improved swivel obviates the necessity of using such goose` neck. The pipe, such ai; 22, is simply connected up with one inlet. and the stein is itself the conduit for the water, no wash pipe being employed.

It will be understood that the use of the swivel permits the water pipe to be attached at a stationary partJ namely the upper portion?) of the carrier, whereas the swivel stem A rotated in the usual manner in the drilling or boring operation, the entire device being suspended from the hook, not shown, by the single bail Z abo\e the center of gravity ot the entire device. All of the packings being' adjustable exteriorly of the device, the swivel may be kept in smooth running' order for a long period\0f time without disconnection of its parts or featurcs, by simple and convenient manipulation ot the several described means for adjusting the packings.

In,assembling the device, it will be understood that the packing'devicei r/ andf are placed within the carrier l, thc stem A is then passed up through the body portion c andthe bcaring member V13, and the bearing device member l2 is then screwed on to the stem, the stem isvthen passed at its upper end into the body` portion l), the body portions and 0 are then screwed together at 9 to complete `the housing if, thc several packings are then adjusted, 'and the entire device isfhung up by the bail d when ready i'or use and connected with the boring or drilling string by the coupling 5.

fe do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the particular provision, formation, construction, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features shown and described;

but reserve the right to vary the same in adapting the apparatus to varyingr conditions of use and service, without departing from the spirit ot the invention or a fair interpretation of the i'ollowingclaims.

l-lavingl thus described our invention we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. A swivel of the character stated, coinprising a swivel stem, a carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted; there being a hearing device between the stem and the carrier, the carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed, a lateral water inlet through the carrier above the stem, and a packing between the stem and the' carrier and beneath the water inlet and above said chamber.

2. ik swivel of the character stated, comprising a swivel stein, a carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted, there being a bearing device between the stem and the carrier, the carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed, a lateral water inlet through the carrier above the stem, and a packing between the stem and the carrier and beneath the water inlet and above said chamber; there being an opening in the carrier leading to the packin'fr.

3. A swivel of the character stated, comprising a swivel stem, a carrier within which the stern is rotatably mounted; there being a bearing device between the stem and the carrier, the carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed, a lateral water inlet through the carrier above the stem, and a packing bctwecn the stem and the carrier and beneath the watcr inlet and above said chamber; there being a downwardly inclined opening in the carrier leading from the packing.

l. A swivel ol the character stated, comprising a swivel stem, a carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted; there being` a bearing device between the r-'cm and the carrier, the carrier being providrd with a chamber within which the bearingr device is installed, a water inlet through the carricr above the stem, and a packingr between the stem 'and the carrier and beneath the watt-r inlet and above said chamber: said packimzl com]arisinga packing mcmbi and a spring acting upon the same, and means l'or varying the clliricncy ol the springr c.\:teriorl}.' ol. thc carrier.

5. A swivel ol. the character stated. comprisingaswivcl -stem.acnrricr within which the stcni is rotatably mounted, thcrc being a bearingr device between the stcm and the carrier, the carricribcing provided with a chamber within which the bearingr dcvicc is insallcd, a water inlet through thi` carrier above thc stem, and a packing between the stem and thc carrier and beneath the water inlet and above said chamber; said packing 6. A swivelof the character stated, comprising a swivel stein, a carrier Within which the stem is rotatablymounted, there being a bearing device 'between the stem and the carrier, thev carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed,a water inlet through the vcarrier above the stem, and a packing between the stem and the carrier and beneath the water inlet and above said chamber; said packing comprising two spaced packing members, and a spring interposed between the same, and means :for varying the efficiency of the spring; said last named means comprising an adjustable gland acting upon the packing between the stem and the carrier.

7. A swivel ot the character stated, comprising a swivel-stem, a` carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted, there being a bearing device between the stem and the carrier, the carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed, a water inlet through the carrier above the stem, and a packing between'the stem and the carrier and beneath the water inlet and above said chamber; said packing comprising two spaced packing members, and a spring .interposed between the same, and means for *arying the etiiciency of the spring; said last named means comprising an adjustable gland acting upon the packing between the stem and the carrier; said gland a il said carrier having registering openings. o

8. A swivel of the character stated, com prising a swivel stem, a carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted, there being a `bearing device between the stem and the carrier, the carrier being provided with a chamber within which the bearing device is installed, a water inlet through the carrier above the stem, and a packing between the stem and the carrier and beneath thc 'ater inlet and above said chamber; said packing comprising two spaced packing members, and a spring interposed between the same, and means for varying the eli'iciency of the spring; there being an opening through the'A carrier leading to the sprino'.

9. lr vswivel of the character stated, comprising a tubular swivel stem, atwo-part carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted, a bearing device comprising a bearing member on sai d stem and a bearing member on said carrier, said parts of said carrier being detachably connected and provided with a chamber accommodating said bearing device and a lubricant bath or the same, a packing between the stein and the carrier beneath said chamber, a packing between the stem and the carrier above said chamber and beneath the upper end of the stem, and a lateral water inlet through the carrier above the stem.

10. A swivel of the character stated, comprising a. tubular swivel stem, a two-part carrier within which the stem is rotatably mounted, a bearing device comprising a bearing member on said stem and a bearing member on said ca sier, said parts of said carrier being detachahly connected and provided with a chamber accommodating said bearing device and a lubricant bath for the same, a packing between the stem and the carrier beneath said chamber, a packing between the stem and the carrier above said chamber and beneath the upper end of the stem, and a lateral water inlet through the carrier above the stem; said packing device adjustable gland extending above the stem and carrier and provided with an opening communicating with said waterinlet.

11. A swivel of the character disclosed, comprising a swivel stem, a carrier for the stem, the carrier being provided with a chamber, a bearing device between the stem and the carrier and accommodated in the carrier above said chamber, there being a vent opening 'from the stem through the carrier and beneath said packing.

12. A swivel' of the character. disclosed, comprising a swivel stem, a carrier for the stem, the carrier being provided with a chamber, a bearing device between the stem and the carrier and acconnnodated in the chamber and within a' lubricant bath therein, packing members between the stem and the carrier above said chamber, and a vent opening through the carrier to the stem'between said packing members.

13. A swivel of the character disclosed, comprising a swivel stem', a carrier for the stem. the carrier being provided with a chamber, a bearing device between the stem and the carrier and accommodated in the chamber and within a lubricant bath therein, there being a packing provided with a vent and installed between the stem and the carrier above the chamber, said vent permitting liquidpassing the packing thereto to be diverted from the chamber.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence ot' two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. WILCOX. lVlLLlAM Gr. KNAPP.

l/Vitnesses V. J. Conc.

RAYMOND Ives BLaKssLnn,

above the chamber being provided with an chamber and within the lubricant bath p Y therein, a packing between the stem and the 

